This and That

The sun came out yesterday.

It brought 100% humidity and record temps.

It's a little too early for me for sticky weather and running the AC.
So I went across the street with my book and had a cup of tea!

It was nice to get out after all the rain
and I picked up some meringue hearts.
YUM!

I'm getting ready to put up my Valentine decorations,
But I think I'm going to leave the Lori Mitchell figures out for awhile.
They are just too cute!
The Emma Bridgewater teapot and mug have been put away in 
my Grandmother's buffet -- a place of honor.

Today is the Lunar New Year - the Year of the Dog.
Traits of those born under this sign are:
Affectionate, Faithful,
Straightforward,
Courageous, Smart,
Inspirational, Loyal,
Honest, Trustworthy,
Warm-hearted

The table is all set except for the water glasses.
Mandarin Orange Chicken will be the main course. 

World Market had these cups in all the Chinese Astrological signs.

If you didn't celebrate the New Year in January,
or even if you did --
here is the chance to celebrate again!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Feathered Nest


Mosaic Monday

Keep In Touch

Share Your Cup Thursday

This and That

Mardi Gras is going on - despite the nasty weather.

Let the good times roll!
Friday, February 2-Wednesday, February 13.
Galveston, the third-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, is spread over 12 days and includes parades, music, food, family-friendly activities, 5K fun run, and galas including the Tremont House Mardi Gras Ball and the San Luis Salute.

Photo From Galveston Mardi Gras Ad

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King Cake for Mardi Gras
Strawberry filling - YUM!
Only one piece left!

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Poor robin redbreast,
Look where he comes;
Let him in to feel your fire,
And toss him of your crumbs.
–Christina G. Rossetti (1830–94)

Robin in Musashi's Garden

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I walked to the drug store to pickup Teddy's heart meds.
(He's doing fine.)
I found these Valentine socks.
They are the non-slip kind with the little plastic dots on the bottom.
Perfect for someone who doesn't like shoes!!!
Score!
And, they are cute!






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Blooming! 

Amaryllis Blooming

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

Keep In Touch

Just Around The Corner

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

Mr. Dreamy

A gift from my knight in shining armor the month he passed to the stars.

Anyone want chocolate cake?
The teapot is Emma Bridgewater.









Big Love by Emma Bridgewater

Smooches an Original Sock Dog Pet by Stacey Hsu. 

This is the first of several mosaics I've made for Valentine's Day.
I'm thinking about making cards -- eventually! 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Mosaic Monday

SaveSave

This and That

My Robin friends are back.

I took their portrait through the dirty glass door.
Wonder what they were saying to each other?


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Did you do anything special for Valentine's Day?
I had a lovely dinner and some Prosecco.

My knight-in-shining-armor and I would have been together 36 years this year.
I still feel like we are together.
Just living in different spots -- one on earth and one in the stars.

He liked Valentine's Day.
It's one reason why I have so many Teddy Bears! 
My favorite flowers -- iris and tulips.


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I'm a big tea lover.
Nothing better than a cup of tea.
Taking the time to brew the tea.
Then taking the time to sit and enjoy the tea.
Sometimes I have tea in a fancy cup and saucer.
Other times I have tea in a mug.

The mug for February is BIG LOVE by Emma Bridgewater.
Tea and Chocolate!!!

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College baseball is starting!
Rice Owls held their second annual Baseball Fest.
An opportunity for the fans to come out and meet the team.
Get autographs.
Take batting practice with Andy Pettitte or Jose Cruz, Jr. pitching. 

Phillip Humber was there.
He was on the Rice team that won the 2003 College World Series.
On April 21, 2012, Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in MLB history
for the Chicago White Sox, defeating the Seattle Mariners.

Things were just getting started when I was there.
I picked up my season tickets. 

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I'm still crocheting.
I finished making all the patterns in the Mirror Image Scarf book.
Now, I'm putting the patterns together for different looks.
Have to use up the stash!

I did order the cottage charm baby afghan (pattern and yarn) from Mary Maxim.
I loved the pattern and thought it would make a pretty lapghan.
The pink flower is the beginning of the lapghan.

Now reading I Shot The Buddha by Colin Cotterill.
It is a Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos.
I've been reading the series from the beginning and always look forward
to the next Dr. Siri and friends adventure. 
You get a feel for what Laos was like in the 70's.
Fear, angst, and amazingly, humor. 
In this one animism, Buddhism and communism are center stage.
If you think you might be interested in this series you must start with the first one --
otherwise you will get lost and only Dr. Siri will be able to find you......!

Oliver had to supervise while I was taking photos. 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five on Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

A Valentine Day Chuckle!

Vintage postcard from "A Box of Kisses". This one is worth a smile or two! No information on the artist or publishing date. (From Chronicle Books)

Wishing YOU well and much joy

on this Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day

Reproduction postcard of 1910 Valentine

Wishing YOU well and much joy on this Valentine's Day.

February Is Here

February has arrived.

Did you say Rabbit Rabbit on the first?

It is a common British superstition which states that a person should say or repeat the word "rabbit" or "rabbits", or "white rabbits", or some combination of these elements out loud upon waking on the first day of the month, because doing so will ensure good luck for the duration of that month (from Wikipedia).

Or, in Downton Abbey fashion, did you say Bad Harvest?!

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The snowmen that I've been looking at every morning in January have been replaced.

I love Emma Bridgewater and it's so much fun to bring out my heart teapot and mugs made by Emma. Emma Bridgewater is a British ceramics manufacturer founded in 1985, owned and run by Emma Rice nee Bridgewater and Matthew Rice. Noted for their polka dot design among others, Emma Bridgewater specializes in pottery with motifs drawing on techniques stretching back over 200 years. The company is one of the largest pottery manufacturers based entirely in the UK, with all of its products made in its factory in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Emma started the company when she went looking for a birthday present for her mother. She wanted to buy and cup and saucer but couldn't find anything she liked, so she created her own. And I'm sure glad she did! 

Every one should have a tea mug that says Peace and Love and Tea!

I have some Rose Petal Tea by the Republic of Tea that I think will be a very nice way to start the month of February. 
It says its a "Tea for The Queen of Hearts".
I don't know about being the Queen of Hearts,
but I am the Queen of this house!

"This royal tea blend has the light spice of delicate, young rose buds and petals atop the sweet fullness of China Black Tea. This Victorian tradition is perfect served in fine china cups for kings, queens, friends and loved ones."

I think it will taste very good served in my Emma mugs, too!

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a delightful cup of tea!

I'm joining:
Sandi at No Place Like Home
Tuesday Cup of Tea

Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Party

Cherries, Chocolate and Tea

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.
How do I love Valentine's Day?
Let me count the ways!!!!

It's time to pull out my Emma Bridgewater heart teapot

and heart shaped crochet hot-pads that I made last year.

The trio is from The English Table.

I love the flowers.

A bird on one side of the cup and

flowers on the other.

I'm going to fill my teacup with

Cherry Chocolate Tea

A Cuppa Romance Tea from The Republic of Tea.

Fine black tea blended with sweet blackberry leaves

natural cherry and chocolate flavoring.

Time for chocolate covered cherry fudge.

Delicious but oh, so rich. 

Heart shaped sugar cookies.

Don't like fudge?

How about chocolate cake?

Remember:

"Seven days without chocolate makes one weak."

~unknown

I'm joining several parties today:

Sandi is having her Valentine Party at

Tea Time Tuesday 

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Potpourri

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your Valentine's Day is full of hearts and flowers.

Another reproduction vintage Valentine.

No artist listed, but this one had a suggested publishing date of 1910.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

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Outside my window...
The sun is shining -- finally!
Highs in the 70s ... what to do, what to do!!! 
Celebrate!

In the kitchen...
Have you visited Estelle's? 
You must go visit. The blog is named after her grandmother and there is always something delicious cooking. Too bad we don't have smell-a-blog! Then again, it's a good thing we don't. I'd gain five pounds with every visit! 

I am reading...
I've just started THOSE ANGRY DAYS by Lynne Olson: Roosevelt, Lindberg, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941. I read Bill Bryson's One Summer: America, 1927 and decided I wanted to learn more about Charles Lindberg. I found The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin, a lovely historical novel that gave me more of an insight into Anne Lindberg. I heard Lynne Olson on NPR and decided I needed to read THOSE ANGRY DAYS. Isn't it fun how one book can lead to another. 

I looked forward to...
 The Westminster Dog Show.
I watch every year. I do love the dogs. I have three cats now, but when I was growing up we had dogs. The first dog I remember was named Brownie -- yep, a little brown dog. I was about 4 years old and I thought Brownie was huge -- she could stand on her hind legs and put her front feet on my shoulders. She wasn't huge, I was small. She also had a litter of puppies in my sandbox! I loved that the mutts appeared at the Westminster this year in the agility championships. 

A peek into my day...
The first camellia of 2014.

Thank you, Nancy!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Tulips and Tea

I went by Trader Joe's early Sunday morning.

I knew I could depend on Joe for fresh flowers -- especially tulips.

I am a happy camper!

This little teacup looks mighty fine (as my Granny would have said).

She's a sweet little gem for a Valentine Tea.

I found it at the thrift shop on my last visit -- many months ago.

It is the only hand-painted teacup that I have.

Lovely, isn't she?!

She has some wear, but that means she's been loved.

There is no artist signature.

In very small letters on the teacup it says:

April

Sweet Pea

I'm joining some tea parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing you well, much joy and a lovely cup of tea!

Mug of The Month

When I posted about my new Emma Bridgewater mug,

I realized that I use a different mug each month for tea.
Thus - Mug of The Month!

For February,

here is another Emma mug:

Big Love.

Perfect for Valentine's Day.

How about a little sugar cookie?

The tea is a simple black tea with honey.

Big Love is sitting on my newly crocheted heart hot pads.

I'm joining some tea parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing you well, much joy and a lovely cup of tea!

Potpourri

It's been busy and noisy around here.
The kitties have been hiding on the bed under the covers or under my feet.

I have a new roof -- just in time for the winter storm warnings.

New covers for the outdoor faucets.

A new toilet (the old one was leaning).

Some other minor *stuff* that was bugging me. 

I thought as long as the guys were here -- I'd put them to work.

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Talking about winter storms -- how about another snowman?!

Reproduction vintage postcard - no artist or date listed.

He seems so happy -- his feathered and furry friends too.

I love his sandals! 

(Sandals and gloves sounds like the Gulf Coast.)

Too bad all our winter storms aren't this happy.

Thanks to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

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My Christmas decorations are finally put away.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

While it is cold and miserable outside, I think I'll hook some hearts!

One large hot pad heart and a smaller one in the works.

Cotton yarn, doubled...hard on the fingers, but a quick project.

I'm using stash yarn - Sugar 'N Cream - hot pink and white.

The pattern is from a Leisure Arts leaflet 2741.

Houston is all iced in.

There are still folks who are trying to drive on the icy freeways.

Not me! 

I'm happy to stay at home with the kitties, hot tea, a good book or two, with plenty of yarn.

Thank you to Nancy for hosting Random Five Friday.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!